It is official

[laitsgo]

Genotype 1a  VL 700k .. Doctor let me know today of all days.. I am very very upset
Still  have an appt next week.  I feel like I have been handed a death sentence as I am so young.  How do you guys forgive yourself if you did something careless or reckless? I knew better and I still made a mistake. I do not know what to do with myself and wonder if I should even go on. I am so upset
Sorry I guess I just need to vent a little bit.. I feel like I just do not fit in around anyone all I have wanted to do for the past couple weeks is sleep..

[SunShineGirlie]

we all felt the same way at one time, then you start to do some research and make plans for what to about it.  I can tell you this, the younger you are the easier it is to do the treatment

[laitsgo]

I did the lab the same day i went for other blood work which was the first week of august

[Trish77]

Not sure what you mean my bloodwork.  That could mean a CBC or liver function test.  When did you actually do the lab for your PCR?

[laitsgo]

I wonder why the symptomatic patients were able to clear the virus in many cases, I guess the symptoms must have been their body fighting back against the virus

[laitsgo]

the only symptoms i really had were bad abdominal pain though, nothing else really.. The last blood work I had with my doctor was just under three weeks ago.

[Trish77]

I'm not looking for a debate.  Just telling you why my spidey senses have been tingling.  You are a bit more unusual than others.

As to your question on chances of treatment in the acute phase:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12851873

Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS:
Acute hepatitis C virus infection accounts for approximately 20% of cases of acute hepatitis today. The aim of this study was to define the natural course of the disease and to contribute to the development of treatment strategies for acute hepatitis C virus.

METHODS:
The diagnosis of acute hepatitis C virus in 60 patients was based on seroconversion to anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies or clinical and biochemical criteria and on the presence of hepatitis C virus RNA in the first serum sample.

RESULTS:
Fifty-one of 60 (85%) patients presented with symptomatic acute hepatitis C virus. In the natural (untreated) course of acute symptomatic hepatitis C (n = 46), spontaneous clearance was observed in 24 patients (52%), usually within 12 weeks after the onset of symptoms, whereas all asymptomatic patients (n = 9) developed chronic hepatitis C. The start of antiviral therapy (interferon-alpha with or without ribavirin) beyond 3 months after the onset of acute hepatitis induced sustained viral clearance in 80% of treated patients.

CONCLUSIONS:
The management of acute hepatitis C has to take into account the high rate of spontaneous viral clearance within 12 weeks after the onset of symptomatic disease. Treatment of only those patients who remain hepatitis C virus RNA positive for more than 3 months after the onset of disease led to an overall viral clearance (self-limited and treatment induced) in 91% of patients, and unnecessary treatment was avoided in those with spontaneous viral clearance. Patients with asymptomatic acute hepatitis C virus infection are unlikely to clear the infection spontaneously and should be treated as early as possible.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since you say you were symptomatic, that seems to put you in very good stead.  When did you have the PCR your doctor said he did on you?  Not when your doctor called to say you had a PCR but when you actually went to the lab to have the test done.  Depending when that test was done, you may still have an opening to have cleared the virus and may be worth running another PCR to see if that's the case.

[laitsgo]

I left him a message with his secretary not him specifically, and he knew how upset I have been throughout this whole process. He didn't have office hours, he was in and gave me a call because he knew how upset I was Friday when we spoke.

[laitsgo]

i am not going to debate with you, at all, but i went for a full screening last november, including an hcv test, and my risks occured over a few day period at the end of april, early may.  And the reason I have been insistent before I heard my full results is because of my risk factors, symptoms and testing pos for antibodies combined with being pessimistic/realistic overall.
If you don't want to talk to me that is fine, I am not trying to get your attention or anything else.
If you don't mind me asking, what are the chances of tx in the acute phase?

[Trish77]

"@ Trish, yes my family doctor called me earlier today when I had left him a message from yesterday"

Here's why I have a problem with all this.

All along you've insisted you have HCV.  I've never seen anyone on this forum so insistent they have HCV and so unwilling to entertain any hope they might not have it as you. Most people are incredibly relieved to know they might not have it. When you have it impressed upon you that an antibody test is insufficient for a diagnosis, you say your doc called to confirm you had a PCR.  Doesn't tell you anything else, viral load or that you even have viral load or what your genotype is, just that you have had a confirmation by PCR.  So when you've been asked what your viral load is if you had a PCR, you've avoided answering period and and then when you keep being pressed about it as you keep claiming you are newly diagnosed with HCV in the many posts you've been making, you say you have a doc appt for Friday and you'll know more when you get to your doc's on Friday.  Then the doctor's appointment gets rescheduled and you'll have to wait for the information on your viral load and genotype.  It gets put to you that there's no point in going any further with questions being asked or answered until you have a viral load and a genotype to confirm you actually have a diagnosis of HCV and then your doc calls on a Saturday which seems a real surprise to you "he called me today of all days" and when you get questioned on the incredible rarity of a Canadian doctor calling a patient with test results on a Saturday after cancelling an appointment just the day before, you say it's because I left him a phone message. You never mentioned that when you said your appointment had been rescheduled or at any point at all until getting questioned on a Canadian doc making a phone call with test results on a Saturday.  Canadian docs, at least in these parts, usually don't have office hours on a weekend, it's an after hours clinic or emerg and / or rotating on-call docs who decide if they need to see you up at emerg or if it's something that will wait for your own doc.  And how would you leave him a message?  My doc's office doesn't allow messages being left, they give the information for what to do if you feel you need medical attention after hours.  Some specialists have answering machines after hours but they don't check them after hours, they pick up those messages when they're back in the office. An incredible coincidence of your own doc being on call or in on the Saturday and deciding to call you with test results?

I'm not at all quick to call troll on this forum, usually give the benefit of the doubt but in your case my doubts are far outweighing the benefit of those doubts. Maybe you're on the level and just a different kind of animal than usual.  My spidey senses are tingling though, I'll tell ya that.

Anyway....if you are on the level and you do have HCV, then according to you a test for HCV came back negative just months ago.  If you are truly positive now, you are in the acute phase and depending on what "months ago" is, you can still clear HCV on your own.  After a certain amount of time, if you still test positive for virus, then you haven't cleared it on your own but you're still within the acute phase when treatment is at it's highest potential for success, so it's recommended to do treatment while still in the acute phase.  That makes you fortunate to find out while you're still acute so that you can take your best possible shot at treatment working for you without having to do full therapy and add in a PI.  

So many many months ago was your last negative HCV test and how long ago was your known risk activity?

[dreamcat]

I can understand your being angry with yourself -- I have gone through that phase myself.  I did not get Hep C through a blood transfusion... I was just young, reckless, and a drug addict and didn't think (or even conceive) of the consequences of my actions.  I was diagnosed 11 years ago, so I've definitely had time to adjust, but I'm still forgiving myself for my actions from over 30 years ago.  Like what has been expressed above, it is not a death sentence -- you have options today.  

I'm starting the triple threat tx in about 3 weeks -- and hopefully (fingers crossed) will be rid of this disease.  

Good luck!

I

[laitsgo]

@ Trish, yes my family doctor called me earlier today when I had left him a message from yesterday

[suezeeque]

I'm not sure I'm as skeptical as you are.  When I was first told that my diagnosis was confirmed by PCR, I didn't know enough to ask what the genotype was or viral load.  In fact, I knew nothing at all.  The doctor didn't offer up that information either.

My last family doctor had office hours on Saturday mornings.  There were several doctors who shared the office and they alternated Saturdays doing walk ins.  God, I miss her!

[willbb]

gotta love trolling.....covers a wide area..and latch on to all you can  :)

[can-do-man]

Here in the states troll fishermen try and bait their hooks with suckers, same there for Canadians???

[can-do-man]

Troll fishing......... Yep Yep thats the ticket.

[willbb]

sometimes when we fish up here we just sit in the boat and wait for something to happen  or we cast or sometimes we  Troll

[can-do-man]

Trish, Willbb...........:)

[willbb]

Interesting point Trish!


by laitsgo, Aug 16, 2011 09:24PM

hi spectda, i have an appointment friday with my doctor but he called monday and said it was confirmed through a pcr i do not know anything else yet. .


by laitsgo, Aug 18, 2011 06:20PM
my doctor told me on the phone a biopsy would likely not be necessary since i have only had this for such a short time


It is official
by laitsgo, 4 hours ago
Genotype 1a  VL 700k .. Doctor let me know today of all days.



So....by your posts above ..it seems you are saying your doctor "phoned on Mon.to confirm your diagnosis on a PCR??
Then he "Phoned again and discussed "not needing a biopsy..What on the phone discussing biopsys with a 20 yr.old??
Then....He "Phoned again today (Sat morning??)  to what....confirm again??your PCR?? or did you discuss on the "Phone" again  the no need for biopsy??

[Trish77]

A Canadian doctor calling you on a weekend to tell you your genotype and your viral load after rescheduling your appointment from yesterday to another date?  

[eureka254]

Life is a learning process, and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  The positive that you take away from the difficult moments like this is recognizing that you can see the foolishness in your past and that you are wiser and better for it.  All our actions in life have eventual consequences; sometimes the consequences are such that you don't have a choice, but with HCV, you do have options.  What's important is to understand you've been given information that can make you a better person: mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.  How you handle the information and what you do with it will lead you down life's next journey.

Diagnosis for most feels like a death sentence when delivered; in fact, for most it's not.  Take steps to educate yourself; knowledge is the best weapon against the fear wrought by ignorance.  The fact that you are young, and the likelihood that infection is recent, along with you low viral load is very much in  your favor.  I'd lay bets that your liver damage is non-existent, and that you'll have plenty of time to sort this all through and plan a course of action.  

You seem a most inquisitive young man, and you can use that in your favor.  I'm sorry to hear that you have this news to deal with, but the future of medicine holds all kinds of promise in curing this disease -- think positive, be proactive, and you'll get through this. ~eureka

[banarep]

I was diagnosed on my 39th birthday and to this day have never felt like I was being punished for anything.  It is not a death sentence.  It took me almost 20 years to finally beat this thing, but I have and I continue to live my life the same - no regrets, no remorse.   It does not help and can only hurt.

As my favorite singe says:  Breath in, breath out,,,,move on.

[frijole]

You can do this.  You can put this behind you.  There have been many here in their 20s who have treated and succeeded -- even while attending college.  We all have lives besides hepatitis c.  Most of our friends and colleages don't know we have hep C.  However, here we can be honest with one another.  Don't beat yourself up for causing this.  It happens.  Just because you have hep C does not mean you have to confess to anyone - even us.  We don't care how you got it - you are in the same boat as us and you can treat and be done with this.

If you need to vent, this is the best place to do it.

frijole

[indy531]

I'm sorry but I understand exactly how you feel-having the wind knocked out of you.I found out 6 weeks ago, mine from a blood transfusion in 1979. The past can't be changed, you can plan for your future. Form a plan after you have had some time-private treatment, medical study-new orals being fast tracked are proving some outstanding results. Keep a file of all labs and read/educate yourself. You will walk through the fire and still emerge whole.

[suezeeque]

The first thing you need to do is forgive yourself.  You didn't do something 'reckless' because you wanted to ruin your life.  You didn't wake up that morning, stretch and say, "Hmm, what can I do to ef up my life today?  OH!  I know!"  

It was a mistake and one that you can learn from.

You've acknowledged it, it's staring you in the eyes and all you can do now is live right and heal.  

Start to move forward, one step at a time.  Keep the steps small and manageable.  Try not to get overwhelmed.  

I feel for you, man.  I really, really do.

Sue